Life
by fanofthearts
Summary: Glinda's life a year after Elphaba's melting.


Dedicated to two people who taught me to be myself, no matter what that means.

By Greeneyesblue

Glinda Upland stood on the bridge overlooking a canal one calm spring night. It was pitch black out, with only the lights from the windows of her home to provide comfort for the woman. She stood there, staring at the stars, crying quietly. The tiny teardrops hit the surface of the canal and rippling gently away into nothingness.

_The strands in your eyes_

_That color them wonderful_

_Stop me_

_And steal my breath_

_Emeralds from mountains_

_Thrust towards the sky_

_Never revealing their depth_

One year later, and still the pain was too much to bear. One year since the one person she truly cared for had been taken away from her forever, "Elphie?" She whispered, "Can you hear me?"

Only the wind answered her quiet question and ruffled her hair gently, the hair Elphaba had loved so much.

_"Why don't you wear your hair curly more often Glin?" Elphaba asked taking a sip of her tea and setting her book down next to her. The two of them were sitting in a coffee house near Shiz waiting for the rest of their friends._

_"I get tired of the same old thing I guess," The blonde said sighing and looking out of the window, "It looks like rain."_

_"Wonderful, I suppose it will hold off until we step outside," It began to rain just then and Elphaba's face soured. Glinda couldn't take it and began to giggle at the expression, "I guess I'll have to wait it out here, even if that means spending the night."_

_"I'll wait with you, Elphie," She said smiling and patting the woman on the hand. Elphaba looked at her, a little shocked, a little unsure of how to react to the act of kindness and caring, but just as she was about to say something the group burst through the doors and made their way over to the table to sit down. Boq and Avaric immediately capturing Glinda's attention with conversation._

The blonde sighed and let her hair down out of its clip, the soft curls framed her face and the reflection that gazed back at her from the water seemed to smile at her reassuringly.

_Tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

"Lady Glinda?" A voice asked from the doorway. It was one of the house attendants, Milly.

"Yes?" Glinda asked turning to her and stepping into the light.

"The baby is awake, she misses her mother," Milly smiled and Glinda nodded walking into the house and going up the stairs to the nursery where her daughter, Aria stood holding onto the bars of her crib and calling out for her mother.

"Hello darling," The woman murmured pulling the girl from the bed and cradling her in her arms. She sat in the rocking chair and held Aria close, pulling an old photograph from the table next to them.

"Addy," Aria automatically said upon seeing the photo and pointed to it.

Glinda nodded, "That's right baby," Tears slipped down her pale cheeks again and into the child's raven hair, "She would've loved you so much."

_And I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be loves suicide_

_And I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_"Elphie, can I ask you something?" Glinda muttered one night in a cramped hotel room in the Emerald City._

_"Anything," Elphaba replied sitting on the edge of the bed and stroking the blonde's hair gently._

_"Do you think, do you think you could ever love me, be happy with me?"_

_The woman was confused, "I already love you Glinda you know that."_

_She sat up in the bed and lay her head on Elphaba's shoulder, "But do you think, you could ever love me like, like Boq seems to love me?"_

_This stunned Elphaba to the core and she blinked over and over again trying to comprehend what had been said, "Iâ€¦well I-"_

_"I shouldn't have asked," Glinda said sighing and leaning away from her friend, "It was silly of me I-" She fell silent as Elphaba kissed her softly. _

Aria yawned and snuggled into her mothers dress clutching the picture in her hand, "Momma," She commented pointing to the other person in the photograph.

"Yes, that's me," Glinda smiled and kissed the top of her daughters head softly.

_And rain falls angry on the tin roof_

_As we lie awake in my bed_

_And you're my survival, you're my living proof_

_My love is alive and not dead_

_And tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it out with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated, I'll hang from you lips_

_Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above_

The little girl shut her eyes against her mothers neck and began to breathe evenly again, and Glinda knew she was asleep. She stood with the child in her arms and carried her to the crib, laying her down gently and attaching the photo to one of the bars, "I wish you could be here for this Elphie," She murmured covering Aria with a small blanket.

_And I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be loves suicide_

_And I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_

_"Glinda you have to get out of here," Elphaba urged her along and they stopped next to a large crate, "You have to hide."_

_"I need to tell you something before you go!" Glinda pleaded as Elphaba eased her to a sitting position and kissed the top of her head._

_"You can tell me when I come back for you, donâ€™t worry everything will be okay," The woman scurried off as Glinda watched in tears. She heard the guards enter the room, and heard the splash of water hitting skin before the horrifying scream of the woman she loved so much. When the guards had retreated to send word to the wizard Glinda emerged from her hiding place and edged to where what was left of her love lay, "Elphie," She whispered sobbing and collapsing on the stone floor._

_I've been dropped out, burned up fought my way back from the dead_

_Tuned in, turned on, remembered the things that you said_

Glinda had been three months pregnant that night, she remembered finding out, how excited she had been and how eager to tell Elphaba, but she had never gotten the chance. Of course she couldn't be positive that Elphaba was the other parent, it was impossible wasn't it? That's what she thought at first. But as the moonlight flickered across the emerald skin of her daughter, Glinda knew that Elphaba had kept her promise, she had come back to her, like she said she would.

_And I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be loves suicide_

_I'll be better when I'm older_

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life_


End file.
